Happy Earth Day -- Old Growth Redwoods

Happy Earth Day to everyone! This year marks the 40th anniversary of this great holiday that helped to make conservation an everyday word in American households. When trying to decide what to post for this occasion, I couldn't think of anything better than some old growth coast redwoods. Being with these huge trees (the tallest species in the world) can't help but make you think of the stories of Mother Earth and her nuturing, life-giving trees.



Today is a great day to bike to work, flip off those extra lights your not using, turn down the thermostat, or remember to take those canvas bags with you into the store this time. For more ideas on what you can do to celebrate our precious planet, stop on by The Nature Conservancy's Earth Day 2010 page. Or for a little extra inspiration from nature's beauty, head on over to the Conservation International Blog to check out the iLCP's Top 40 Nature Photographs.

Trillium among Redwoods

These beautiful flowers (Western Trillium, Trillium ovatum) were blooming all over the understory of the old growth redwoods in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (part of the Redwood National and State Parks area). And of course the beautiful Redwood Sorrel was covering the ground as well (Oxalis oregana).



This particular bloom was growing on top of an old fallen tree, and offered a chance to show it in its environment in the forest understory.



For the horizontal frame, I preferred the aperture to be open, really setting off the flower from the backdrop. But in the vertical composition, stopping down to f/11 really put it more in its place among the giants behind it.

Mule deer at Elk Praire

On our trip up to Redwood National and State Parks along the northern California coast, we saw quite a few Roosevelt elk (pictures to come, once they're sorted) but none in the places advertised as often having the elk. However, in the Elk Prairie of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park we did see a trio of mule deer during our second day of looking for elk there.



The prairie itself was beautiful, a large expanse of tall dry grass with redwoods lining the edges. While I only have a few shots of these deer there, a return trip during the fall elk rut is definitely high on my list -- since I think it would be awesome to witness in this area.